Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 148-minute teaching from a Mahāmudrā International Retreat, Lama Zopa Rinpoche structures the talk around the three scopes of the Lamrim—Buddhism’s graduated path to enlightenment—using this framework to clarify what distinguishes practitioners at different levels. He opens with meditations on impermanence and emptiness, then explains: the lower capable being renounces attachment to this life and aims for future happiness through virtue and refuge; the middle capable being perceives all cyclic existence as suffering and seeks liberation; the higher capable being abandons self-interest to work toward enlightenment for all sentient beings. A core theme throughout is that genuine progress requires practicing the complete path step-by-step, not cherry-picking practices you find attractive. He also clarifies how to rely on and devote to the guru correctly. For practitioners seeking to understand where they stand in Buddhist training and why complete practice matters.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 19 2004 04 15 MR.mp3
UUID: 80d87641-fef1-4138-a435-9e7a7496f1d4
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1
Collection: y Mahāmudrā International Retreat (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)
Date: 2004-04-15
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 148.4 minutes
Words: ~7,217
So in the Namtösa Gyatso, we’re on page forty nine. Confession of non virtue. So before we begin, I’ll read out motivation. The I, our life, the five sense objects, our possessions, surrounding people, friend, enemy, and stranger. All these causative phenomena do not remain the same for even one second.
Besides decaying day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second, these phenomena are decaying even within each second under the control of cause and conditions. Therefore, all these things can be stopped anytime. This means that there is nothing there to cling to, nor to cause anger or ignorance to arise. While all these phenomena are impermanent, we generate the concept that they are permanent, believing that they’re going to last for a long time. We also believe that we’re going to live for a long time.
We think like this every hour of every day, even on the day of our death. Even the day that we die, we think that we’re going to live for many years. The thought believing that we’re going to live for a long time arises even a minute before the car accident that is the condition for our death. I, action, object, enlightenment and hell, liberation and saṃsāra, happiness and problems, virtue and non virtue, true path and true cause of suffering, all these things called this and that are all names. And names have to come from the mind.
This means that all these existence, including the eye, come from the mind. They are creations of the mind. The eye is created by the mind. Therefore, none of these exist at all from their own side. On top of that, all these phenomena including I, action, object are merely labeled by the mind.
They exist in mere name. Therefore, the I does not exist from its own side. Action does not exist from its own side. Not even an atom of any of these phenomena, whether permanent or impermanent. Enlightenment, hell, liberation, saṃsāra, happiness, problems, virtue, non virtue, good and bad, exists from its own side.
Simply concentrate on this. Concentrate your mind intensely on this emptiness only. Since this is how things exist, again, there is no valid reason to cling or for anger or ignorance to arise in the belief that there is something real there, that there is an eye on the aggregates, that there is a table on the collection of the parts of the table, and so forth. We apprehend as true what appears as something real from there. This belief is ignorance, which is the basis of karma and delusions and all suffering.
Through analysis, we see that there is an I, but there is no real I appearing from there. That false I doesn’t exist. It is completely empty. There is no I to cling to as important and precious. There is nothing there to cling to or to cherish.
So do the confession of non-virtue in English. Before those having great compassion, I confess with regret and vow never to commit again. Whatever non virtuous and evil actions I’ve done throughout beginningless time caused others to do or in which I have rejoiced. Though all things are like a dream, lacking inherent existence, I sincerely rejoice in the bliss and joy of all Aryas and ordinary beings, and in every virtue that has ever arisen. So here we do the practice of rejoicing.
So first of all, rejoicing one’s own merit. Thinking without merit, there is no happiness, no success, there is nothing you can do. Without merit, cannot achieve realizations, cannot even achieve the happiness of this life, not even moment to moment happiness. Therefore, merit is so precious. Think, I’ve collected so much merit in the past.
All this is so precious. I’m collecting so much merit now, and I will collect so much merit up to enlightenment. How happy I am. How wonderful it is. How fortunate.
It’s a main thing to feel happiness in the heart over and over. How precious it is. Each time you rejoice, the merits double, increase. So you can count on the mala, how wonderful it is, how precious it is. All this merit of the past, the merit of the present, the merit of the future.
How wonderful, how precious. Rejoice in the merit of other sentient beings, by rejoicing the merit of those who are lower in realization than you, you get twice the merit. Those who have high realizations, you get half the merit. Those who are equal, you get the same amount. So think to yourself, what sentient beings want is happiness, what they don’t want is suffering.
The cause of happiness is merit. Therefore, every single virtue that others accumulate is so precious. This is the most precious thing. Sentient beings accumulated so much merit in the past. They’re accumulating so much now, and they will accumulate so much in the future.
How wonderful it is that they collect merit in the three times. How precious. How wonderful. Thinking like this over and over again, feeling happiness in the heart is rejoicing. Rejoice in the virtue when Bodhisattvas.
Rejoicing the merit of one Bodhisattva, one day merit is equivalent. That amount of merit by rejoicing is equivalent would take us thirteen thousand years to create that much merit. So rejoicing in numberless Bodhisattvas’ past, present and future merit. Thinking they’re numberless body sufferers who’ve generated bodhicitta in their minds, every single action they do, every single breath is for others. They continually accumulating limitless merit and all this merit they use to help us sentient beings to benefit us.
How wonderful it is. How precious. How wonderful it is. Then thinking, may I become like this? The rejoicing in merit of Buddha: by dividing this by ten, you get one part every time you rejoice.
So thinking, there are numberless numberless Buddhas? Each one of these was just like myself, being ordinary, having delusions, having negative karma, having so much suffering. But then through the force of their practice, develop renunciation, then born much hardship, develop bodhicitta and practice the six paramitas, sacrificing themselves completely for others, then able to complete the merit of fortune and merit of wisdom, and achieve full enlightenment, then able to ever listen spontaneously benefit each and every single sentient being. How wonderful it is. All these numberless Buddhas, all their past merit, the present, and all the future, how wonderful it is, how precious, how wonderful.
May I become like this. Remember the life story of Guru Śākyamūni Buddha? How he practiced for three countless great aeons. Sacrificing himself over and over again to achieve enlightenment and then revealing eighty four thousand teachings to liberate us from saṃsāra, bring us to nirvana and perfect peace. How wonderful it is, how precious, may I become like this?
Think about the life stories of Lama Atisha, Lama Tsongkhapa, how they’re able to do extensive benefit for others even now through their teachings liberating so many sentient beings throughout the world. How wonderful, how precious. May I become like this? Remember the lifestyle of Milarepa? Able to burn so much hardship achieved enlightenment in one lifetime.
For so much benefit even now liberating sentient beings. Think of all the Dalai Lama’s, all the Pänchen Lama’s, all the Karmapas, all the many holy beings achieved enlightenment, and then accomplished extensive activity. How wonderful it is, how precious may I become like this. Like an electricity generator generating over and over again the thought of joy in your heart. May I become like this.
Requesting to turn the wheel of dharma. Please let fall a rain of profound and extensive dharma from a hundred thousand billowing clouds of perfect wisdom and compassion to nurture, sustain, and propagate the garden of Kunda flowers for the benefit and bliss of all limitless beings. Though your vajra body is subject to neither birth nor death, but as a vessel of the mighty king unification, please abide forever according to our wishes, not passing beyond sorrow until saṃsāra ends. I dedicate the mass of white virtues thus created, so that I may be inseparably cared for in all my lives by perfect pure Gurus who are kind in three ways, and so attain the unified state of Vajradhāra. Mandala offering.
Page fifty one. Special request for three great purposes. I prostrate and go for refuge, the Guru and the three precious gems. Please bless my mind. I am requesting you to immediately dispel all the wrong conceptions.
From incorrect devotion to the Guru up to subtle dual appearance of the white, red and dark visions that exist in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I am requesting you to immediately generate all the right realizations, from Guru devotion up to enlightenment in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I am requesting you to dispel all outer and inner obstacles to actualize the entire graduated path to enlightenment in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I prostrate and go for refuge, the Guru, the three precious gems. Please best my mind.
I am requesting you to immediately pass far the wrong conceptions. From incorrect devotion to the Guru, am to subtle dual view of the white, red, and dark visions that exist in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I am requesting you to immediately generate all the right realizations from Guru devotion up to enlightenment in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I’m requesting you to dispel all outer and inner obstacles to actualize the entire graduated path to enlightenment in my mind and in the minds of all mother sentient beings. I prostrate and go for refuge, the guru, and the three precious gems.
Please bless my mind. I am requesting you to immediately pass forward the wrong conceptions, from incorrect devotion to the Guru up to subtle dual view of the white, red and dark visions that exist in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I am requesting you to immediately generate all the right realizations from Guru devotion up to enlightenment in my mind and the minds of all mother sentient beings. I am requesting you to dispel all outer and inner obstacles to actualize the entire graduated path to enlightenment in my mind and in the minds, all mother sentient beings. Page fifty five.
I request the precious guru encompasses all objects of refuge, the past, present, and future. Please bless my mental continuum. I request the precious guru encompasses all objects of refuge, the past, present, and future. Please bless my mental continuum. Our request of the guru who encompasses all objects of refuge, the past, present and future.
Please bless my mental continuum. Page fifty seven of visualization. Five colored nectar beams flow forth from the Guru’s holy body, entering my body and mind, and those of all sentient beings. These purify all diseases, spirit harms, negative karmas, and degenerated samayas created in relationship to the holy virtuous friend, such as giving harm to the holy body, breaking advice, disturbing the holy mind, generating undevotional thoughts, criticizing, giving up the guru, and so forth. From all my doors, sense organs, and pores, these are dispelled in the form of liquid smoke or black soot.
They are completely purified. My body becomes the nature of light, calm and clear. My life, fortune, merit, and all my qualities of understanding and realizations are fully developed. The blessings of the guru’s holy body, holy speech, and holy mind enter my body, speech, and mind, and those of all sentient beings. I and all sentient beings are now under the protection of the virtuous friend.
Recite the prayers and supplication to the Gelugpa Mahāmudrā lineage. This is on a separate sheet. Recite the one that has the phonetics with it. So the Mahāmudrā lineage in the Merit field is directly behind Dorje Chang Buddha coming in a line from Mañjuśrī down to the root guru. Homage to the great seal.
You, the primordial Buddha, chief of all Buddha lineages, dweller in the palatial mansions, spontaneously created three bodies. Our request to the all pervading Lord, great vajradhara, by generating a mind of compassion and loving kindness, and by completely severing the continuum that clings to holiness self. May I be blessed to quickly attain the highest state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration. What you reached? The Mahāmudrā.
Did you finish? No. We just started, please. So please can Started. Please can we chant in Tibetan?
Please can we chant in Tibetan, Rishi? I’m gonna chant in Tibetan. So we’ve been a choice due respect of English, not necessarily to say future on its pattern. Green Book, Teaching Prayers, page five. To the founder, endowed and sent and destroyer, the one gone beyond, foe destroyer, completely perfected, fully awakened being, perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, who guards and knows the world, supreme guide of human beings, teachings, Teacher of gods and human beings to you, the completing and fully awakened one, the endowed and sent and destroyer.
Glorious conquerors, the Jetsün from the Shakya clan, I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge. To the found of the endowed and sent and destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, completely perfected, fully awakened being. Perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, the god and the world, supreme guide of human beings, who tames. Teacher of gods and human beings, to you, the completely and fully awakened one, endowed and gone and destroyer, glorious conquerors, pure from Shakya clan, I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge.
To the founder, the endowed, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, completely perfected, fully awakened being, perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, who guards and knows the world, supreme guide of human beings, who tames, teacher of gods and human beings. To you, the completely and fully awakened one, endowed and son and destroyer, glorious conquerors, pure from Shakti clan, I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge. When, O supreme amongst humans, you are born on this earth, you paced out seven steps, and said, I’m supreme in this world. To you who are wise then, I prostrate.
With pure bodies formed, supremely pure, was the motion like a golden mountain. Fame blazing in the three worlds, winner of the best, all to you. Supreme signs, face like spotless moon, color like gold, to you I prostrate. Thus free, like you, completely wise one, to you I prostrate.
The savior having great compassion found having all understanding. Field of merit, refuge like a wish-fulfilling tree. The one gone to the dustless, I prostrate. Purity that frees one from attachment, the virtue that frees one from the go-around. The one path of pure realizations, the Dharma that pacifies all.
Those who liberate and also show the path to liberation in the holy field qualified with good qualities, who are devoted to moral precepts, the sublime community, tending virtue and prostrate. Homage to supreme Buddha, homage to Dharma refuge, homage to great Sangha, to all three ever devout homage, to all worthy respect, with bodies as many as all realms, atoms, and all aspects. With supreme faith, I pay homage. Do not commit any non virtuous actions. Perform only perfect virtuous actions.
Subduce your mind thoroughly. This is a teaching of the Buddha. A star, a visual aberration, a flame of a lamp, an illusion, a drop of dew or a bubble, a dream, a flash of light being a cloud, sea conditioned things as such. Through these merits may sentient beings attain the rank of all seeing, subdue the foe faults and be delivered from Samsāra’s ocean, perturbed by the waves of aging, sickness and death.
Look after practitioners like a mother.. Page fifteen. All negative forces oppose the dharma be completely pacified. May the host of eighty thousand obstacles be pacified and be separated from problems and harmful conditions of dharma. May all the enjoyments being in accord with the dharma, and may there be auspicious and perfect happiness here right now.
You attained the body of Vajradhāra, I request the great elder, Chakdor Dorje, by generating a mind of compassion and loving kindness, Having completely shed the bonds, the eight mundane concerns, you held high the banner of victory of the teaching of absolute truths, I request that neutral part, may I be blessed to quickly attain the high state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration. Knowing everything with respect to the teachings of Gyalwa Ensapa, you are indistinguishable from that very refuge. I request the perfect pure Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen by generating a mind of compassion and loving kindness, integration. You aimed at great exertion to experience unique enjoyment and tasted the very essence of Jetsün Rinpoche’s teachings. I request to accomplish Gyaltsen’s impart and by completely severing, continuum that clings to holiness self.
May I be blessed to quickly attain the high state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration. I request Pänchen Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen by generating a mind of compassion, loving kindness, and by completely severing, continuum that clings to holiness self. May I be blessed to quickly attain the highest state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration. You arrive at the accomplishment of single pointed concentration, on the complete and extensive Gopa path of Sutras and Tantras, I request the wise yogi, Ngawang Drakpa, by generating a mind of compassion, loving kindness, and by completely severing continuum that clings holding us out. May I be blessed to quickly attain the high state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration.
As holder of the essence of teachings, the three higher trainings, you bear no trace whatever are the stains of moral thoughts. I request Losang Nyendrak, May I be blessed to quickly attain the high state of Mahāmudrā to the path of total independence. By generating a mind of compassion, loving kindness, and by completely serene, continuum that clings to holiness self. May I be blessed to quickly attain the high state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration? You are an equal in propagating through explanation tasting the natural tradition of the Lord Jampel, you wax forth in physical strength and experiential understanding.
I request the perfect pure Konchog Yarpel, by generating a mind of compassion, loving kindness, you showered down a dharma rain of good explanation. By generating a mind of compassion and loving kindness, and by completely severing continuum that clings holding us up. May I be blessed to quickly attain the highest state of Mahāmudrā, to the path of total integration. By completely severing, continuum that clings holding us out. May I be blessed to quickly attain the high state of Mahāmudrā to the path of total integration.
Loving kindness. And by completely severing continuum that clings, holding yourself, May I be blessed to quickly attain the highest state of Mahāmudrā through the path of total integration. Treasure compassion treasure of compassion, of refuge for all victorious ones. So why we have taken human rebirth this time, able to communicate and able to understand meaning, words and words and meaning of the teaching of the Buddha. So not just only to solve one’s own problems and to reach happiness for one’s own and not just for that.
So if this is the if this is the only attitude, then of living our life, even we meditate, even we learn Dharma, whatever we do, if this is only attitude, then until we are not in the line of we are out of this, the capable being something which called Kuntu, Capable being in the the Tibetan language. Means capable being. The lower capable being lower capable being so in Sanskrit, why is it capable to actually means a person. Why translating into capable being why? Because in some sense, the program is having potential, having capacity.
So, of lower capable being of the, say, The practitioner of Lamrim, that is the lower capable being and middle capable being and higher capable being. So you’re not any of those capable beings. If whatever meditation or not only eating, sleep, eating, sleeping, doing jobs or whatever, even doing meditation, taking Dharma, whatever. But if the attitude is just one that this life, seeking one that this life happens, then we are out of one who doesn’t belong to those three scope practitioners. You will soon, you know, the practitioner.
Out of that. So So no differences from the non human being who doesn’t have who hasn’t got precious human body, animals. So no no nothing no no differences. So nothing special. So the what’s the definition of the law of cable being is who renounce who leave behind the, you know, This life this life can be said a little bit.
The text left behind this life. This life pleasure. However, renounced the attachment, grasping this life pleasure. So what it means is that renouncing this left behind this life means city let go, you know, let go the attachment, you know, clinging the pleasure of the slide. Then attitude, you see, so that so that and then you see attitude that then aiming for the happiness of future life.
And for the method to for success with that, then by taking refuge and then you see protect the karma, abandon, turn on virtuous action and practice a virtual. So that’s the definition of law capable of being. So one can see whether one’s self, is that capable or not. So totally let go, left behind attachment, claiming to this life, then aim future life happiness. Then for success of that, taking refuge and then abandon protect protecting karma, abandoned and living the.
So the basic cause of happiness. Then the middle capable being definition middle capable being is who has realized the from the lowest hell realm, the I forgot. Made some expression, but I forgot. So I can’t remember. So the lowest hell, which is which is length of life lifespan, you know, in one immeasurable eon.
Unbelievable in the time. I know the heaviest suffering heaviest it’s just heaviest suffering the amount of health and and in saṃsāra, the heaviest. And so from there from there, and there’s a desire realm, formless formless realm. The the higher the highest realm of saṃsāra is the formless realm. Therefore, then formless realm has infinite infinite sky, infinite consciousness, nothing nothingness, and then tip of the tip tip of the saṃsāra.
The highest higher realm is the formless realm and even the highest among the tip of the saṃsāra. So that’s highest in saṃsāra. So from the lowest held realm, which is the most unbearable, suffering. From there, the top tip of saṃsāra. So seeing seeing up to the tip of the saṃsāra, completely just completely just like being the exactly being living this just exactly being the very center of the fire.
Just just like being caught in the living in the very center of the fire, hot red, you know, very center of the fire. So that seeing everything, the whole entire sense of it, that it can’t stand even for one second. If you are in the fire, if you are in the middle of the fire, how it is constant, you know, even for one second. So like that, totally seeing the whole saṃsāra, all natural suffering. And seeing all of that, how much there were human how much great enjoyment it is, even devas have hundreds of thousands, know, billions of greater enjoyment than human beings.
However, seem to seeing complete on the natural suffering. Then from the from the same, seeing on the natural from the same set to even to the sums are only seen totally on the nature of suffering, like this being the same fire. Or the the like a terrifying, like, no no one’s can’t find one’s can’t find attraction even for one second. The very center of the fire to be in the or to be in the nest of the poisonous snakes or the or like in the like being the like, can’t find one side can’t find attraction even for one second to be inside the septic tank to be inside the to to be inside, you know, in the septic tank where there’s all the whether it’s all those, you know, substances. So being, you know, to be in the midst to be in the middle, very inside that is a constant for there is no attraction to be there for even for one second.
So it’s most most disgusting. So I have the whole entire saṃsāra from decided like that. From the realm, you feel like that. From this realm, you feel like that. So like that, can’t find attraction even for one second in the towards some sort of even the dream.
So like that, totally, sir. Totally, I’m they left the saṃsāra behind and they are looking for seeking liberation. So motivation left the saṃsāra behind and seeking, say, liberation. Then which is which also treats the liberation. Then for the success of that, then liberator to high training, high training of the and the wisdom.
So that is the middle capable being. The middle capable being. So I wonder whether whether one’s self is that capable being or not. So let’s see. Then higher capable being, Then Left come left completely behind.
Let’s see. Works for works for self, seeing happiness for self, completely left behind. See, seeing happiness for self, working for oneself, and then seeking enlightenment, the attitude is that seeking enlightenment for sentient beings. So for the success of that, then we see the practicing the so we’ll then put it to that then. practicing the six paramitas.
So so same on that basis, you know, so practice tantra. You know? The six. So that is the definition of the higher capable being. So no no question about high capable being, middle capable being.
The lower capable being. So that being who let go the attachment grasping to the to this life, the pleasure of this life, and seeking, you see, long term happiness. Give up the short term happiness. Give give up the let go let go of the give up the short short term pleasure, or seek for long run happiness happiness all the coming future lives. So then the then in the in the practice, the actual one does.
With the reliance on Buddhism, the the living in the morality, abandoning non virtuous actions. So so the yeah. So this cable bring is a special this this lower capable being is special special. They see exalted or special from the animals, the nonhuman ones, especially. Other than that, that’s it.
I see. So attitude only or attitude seeking only seeking the I see. This line. The the this very short very short term present, the very short term pleasure. And then that’s so that is a person having, say, on this attitude.
Then that is doesn’t receive the name this Jew or, you know, Purushottama, capable being. From this the capable being of the Lamrim practitioner. Doesn’t say. So I’ll say. One of the difference is the shape of the body, you know, human human having a human form. Only two two two differences about external body, shape the body from the animals without.
Nothing special. Not nothing higher special from team. From mouse, from ants, mouse, or the the snacks or or chickens or I will just only seeking happiness. Just only seeking happiness is life. And the only seeking happiness is life.
The ants and those even those even tiny infants are very smart, very clever expert in seeking happiness in this life, obtaining happiness. All these animals. So expert clever to to cheat others, to, you know, to get food, how to kill, how to cheat the other being, you know, kill, not get food. See, that best skill expert that So now So in this so in this very lifetime, we must we must attend to be in this line, in this group, the capable capable capable of being of lump of this Lamrim practitioner to to be in that line. Otherwise, if that one cannot that one cannot become then and become empty life or very sad if it didn’t happen.
So the very meaning of our life, that is to benefit all sentient beings. Not even she’s seeking liberation not even seeking liberation, say, for unsold. Not even that. So in regards to benefit others, causing happiness causing happiness of this life to others and all beings. More important so should more important benefits service to others and their being causing their long term happiness, causing, you know, causing to have happiness in all their future lives.
Then even more important even more important service than that is then could cause an ultimate happiness, the everlasting happiness, liberation from the whole entire the saṃsāra. They’re from the oceans of free forever from the oceans of saṃsāra suffering and caused by delusion and karma. And even more even greater, even more important service to others than that is to bring the numberless sentient beings in full enlightenment, the great liberation. They state that the cessation of all the mistakes of mind gross and subtle and the completion of all the realizations. To achieve it.
The term dharmakaya is a truth. The task of wisdom dharmakaya, and then truth body or the holy the holy body of the the essence of the nature. So that’s the great liberation. So now for that, then one need to one need to ask it. That doesn’t happen with without cross conditions.
So, exercising that depends on actualizing the path which removes the gross and subtle defilements. And that path that part has to be a complete path from beginning to end. Just just some part of just just practicing one meditation. Just practicing the whole life with just one meditation cannot cannot do cannot achieve cannot develop the mind cannot reach the mind on a high level of path, cannot reach enlightenment. Just meditating.
Just doing practice of meditation what you like, that you don’t like, meditation that you don’t meditation, such as the meditation on sufferings, meditation which you which one do not like, leave it then once the once the once the once the like or emptiness or the something nice, beautiful, you know, one that doesn’t that doesn’t say. Cannot achieve even realization of bodhicitta. They draw the Mahāyāna path enlightenment and that kind of practice. The terrifying was left out, the nice ones. That that doesn’t that cannot achieve achievement.
Only maintaining one maintaining some part of the path that cannot achieve enlightenment. So one has to learn the whole path, one has to practice. And even even the whole path of enlightenment, it has to be graduate. Even the whole path of enlightenment, it has to be practiced it has to step by step. Whole path, not only complete, but it has to be exercised step by step.
Then only then can you cease the gross and subtle defilements, the nature of the mind. Only then it was. So therefore, One need to one need to follow the steps apart to enlightenment. As Lama Atisha presented the integration of the eighty four thousand teachings of Buddha, that Lama Deshek integrated the gradual practice for one person to achieve enlightenment. So the The fortunate being.
So it is teaching the minor tradition, a fortunate person going to enlightenment, which is well expounded, well created, well propagated So by mentioning this, what is what is showing how this is, you know, one trusts, reliable reliable teaching path. So by making this outlines. The deep it’s a very profound teaching that the the Dharma king of the three worlds, like butter taken from the essence of milk, taken out that the heart of the practice or the understanding. This path to enlightenment. Expressed expressed up.
And this content this content contains all the essence of the eighty four thousand teachings without anything missing. The It is that it is set it up for greater practice for one person to see enlightened. So this is the teaching of the Lamrim. And then In order to show the pure references of the teaching, then explain the qualities of the the outer of the the teaching. So starting from Guru Śākyamūni Buddha at Nirmānakāya.
And in particular, so then the. In authorizing devotion to the teachings, to the Lamrim teaching. Then explain as a showing the, the special qualities, the special quality benefits of the Lamrim teaching. That how to how to listen, explain the This Lamrim teaching is which has four special qualities and three benefits basically, this is the basic sample.
For for special qualities, three benefits. And the graduate, how to lead the disciple of the exaltation, how to guide. So there’s two: that is relying on the virtuous friend. Correctly, correctly devoting to the virtuous friend.
Devoting is is not only worshiping, but devoting yeah. I’m using the word devoting To the devoting is I used to I used the word normal to to forging, but which means relying relying and also relying upon say, relying and devoting. Line and the following. Meaning about devoting. But I guess, maybe there’s more meaning for me.
Correctly, the wording versus the time. So what I’m trying to say is that word contains relying, but what the term says, along with the relying, then you also rely upon guru, but also for also wanna follow. Let’s see. Let’s do this. With the devotion follow-up.
Is there is there is there when you for example, when you’re when you’re relying on Buddha, do you devote Buddha or not? When you’re relying on Buddha, do you also devote? Does it come together? The writer said not necessary. Not necessary.
Vietnam in Vietnam War, the armies, they put Buddha’s portal. They put the they put the what do call this? Pentagon? This that you wear. For the portrait, the Vietnamese, the I heard they put these Buddhist pictures, these portrait in the mouth in the mouth while they’re shooting while they’re shooting.
They put in mouth. They put in mouth, you see, for protection. So they have faith to Buddha. You know? They put their picture in their mouth in their mouth while they’re shooting.
So I heard it I heard it helps it I heard that it helps that it protects them. You know, they which he bled. Don’t get killed easily. The strong strong faith. You know?
They have strong faith to the Buddha. So they put a picture they put it in their mouth. I mean, the Tibetan that the Tibetan, the the war, they were they were so many relics or so many from many high lamas, the collective they wear. So I heard, yeah, many say didn’t take the Islamic lama just gave one and one color of no. There’s no color of it, but it’s a buff just the buffalo.
Color of it in the right room. So many, many people took the episode. This is very, very special. They do not get bullets, you know, the the the fight in the war. Anyway so here, you have reliance.
You have rely reliance to Buddha faith. In the Vietnam armies or the Tibet, you know, in the in the the the past when the the fighting city have where so many, those those So silver or whatever. Many protect whole bunch of protections. Anyway, so there’s a fate. So, anyway, there’s a fake reliance, but I don’t know about the action, killing at the same time.
So there’s devoting. There’s a reliance, but there’s devoting. As doctor Ritten says, not not necessary. He said, not not necessary. So so the but an action killing in the world.
So that’s see. No. Deportion. Yeah. I’m using the word devoting, not so on devotion, but following.
So I don’t know. Not only is it devotion, but, you know, following. So so, you see, what Buddha maybe of course, one thing is people don’t know what the Buddha said. One thing is people have faith to Buddha, but but they don’t know what the Buddha said. They do not no idea what the Buddha has taught or what they said.
You see? So that’s one one basic problem. If you know what Buddha said and still doing the opposite, then I know whether you can call I mean, you don’t follow I say, there’s a faith Buddha, but do you say that it’s devoting or not? What do you say? Devoting or not?
Another word. Entrusting means that you Having faith. Entrusting means that you So here, correctly debating, I’m using the word to rely faith and when there’s lie reliance, you know, like refuge, but also, you know, what a guru says, you know. So far. Then by devoting, how to train the mind in the stages of the path.
So explained at the Lamrim, during the Lamrim Chenmo teaching that and this outline, we said that, like like the on the animal, you put two luggage. You know? It was If one is light, one is heavier, then she it doesn’t stay. So both are same weight. So that devoting the virtuous friend and and by the way, doing the virtuous training, then how to train the mind in the stages.
So normally, people might think how to train the mind part enlightenment became more important than the important voice trend. We see normally everyone didn’t know this one is more important than the previous outline. But let me see. The second outline The first outline is important as the second outline. Both are the same.
Like when you put luggage on the animal, see, both both heavy. So both are equally important. Because I think yeah. Yeah. You got it.
Anyway or Then how to by dividing the virtue and then how to say now the the this past alignment. So that is session time and the break time. And how to do the session and after, how one should do the session and break time. So how to keep the light in break time. After the session, how to keep the light in break time.
So break time from the sedimentation session. So the session that I can then the preliminary and the actual body and the completion. How to do the completion? How to do at the end of the actual body practice? So the actual preparation is the six preparatory practices.
So that the the cleaning the the practice cleaning. The cleaning the abiding room. Where Buddha, Dhammasanga, abiding all objects. So the sweeping, the cleaning. Well well ranged doctors.
Beautifully. Set the offerings, obtain the offerings purely, without worldly concern, cunning, cheating. So without being the five wrong livelihood, you of ten without five without five without becoming five wrong livelihood, then I say, okay, without cunning deceptions. Yeah. Okay.
Then beautifully perform. Perform in beautiful shape. Then on the comfortable seat, And then perform or set up the body in seven or eight positions. Today, there’s a seven position, same position. They are both called.
Seven position. And then with while the attitude is a virtue. So like, for example, before we begin the research practice, there’s a motivation there. Then we then thought to go from. So clear away.
Like the weather, that is many for the needs, you know, clear way. So all the worldly concerns, subterranean part of that. Clear way. See. Other with the breathing meditation.
Narcissism. Special virtual thought. So let me. One is while the mind is in that state, then Then seven and practice mental offering. So in order to seize placing realizations was the goal.
So preliminaries, the next body. So these people tried to the essential methods to purify the mind and to collect accumulations, and then the collection, the initial condition, the merit and the invocation of the guru. So that based on the Rift bodhicitta. The door to enter Buddhism, refuge, the door to Buddhism, the refuge, then draw into the Mahāyāna, the bodhicitta. So based based on that those practice, And then say then pursuing first of pursuing that’s it.
On his body endowed with the freedom richness. In order to the essence of this body, and then how to take the essence from this body endowed with freedom and richness. So and so on. In the heart of all the sentient beings. Think about me, talks about me, dreams of me, has even seen wants a picture of oneself, even the praise, even the criticize, whatever, even they make fun of oneself, even the abuse, yeah, this, you know, the disrespect or whatever whatever they do towards me, may it Made.
Mhmm. Yeah. May it become most beneficial back to them themselves. So however they however they treat me, it becomes most beneficial to them.
Immediately purified and it come out. And if ever get reborn, lower realms, and immediately able to heal their sicknesses, free from spirit possession, harms, and immediately cause faith and positive future karma. Immediately, they will generate love and compassion, bodhicitta in their hearts. And all their wishes get fulfilled instantly. Immediately, all their wishes will happen according to Dharma.
And a complete path in achieving enlightenment as good as possible. So pray this. So to to happen like this, to be able to affect back, just like this in all from this moment, from this second, in all the future lifetimes to be meaningful to hold for sentient beings. You’re the past. Empty matter.
Empty. Achieve. I want to shoot this enlightenment or the enlightenment. It was empty. He’s all the siblings who are empty to that enlightenment.
It’s empty. By myself alone, it was empty. I did get all the medicine in same way three times. It’s spreading all the time in this world But complex life and it was a lot of us here. And the has a in the has a lot of organizations.
In seven minutes time. In seven minutes. Seven seven minutes. Oh, I’ve got seven more minutes. Next session is seven o’clock.
So for the people who haven’t yet taken refuge Venerable Geshe-la is giving a talk after dinner. That will be in the second Gompa. And then for the rest we come back here and conclude the Guru Puja and the various other practices. Seven o’clock.